Robotic Production Arrives in Textiles

Though some of the earliest industrial labor-saving machines were designed for textile workers, the underlying production strategy of the industry has not transformed. Because of the inherent flexibility of textiles, machines often have problems moving them, stacking them, or lining up seams and edges during ordinary tasks.

This leads to low-quality products, hampering innovation.

The LOWRY automated textile handling system may offer solutions. Using a four-axis design and a combination of the latest computing, robotics, and machine vision technology, it is capable of activities no previous system has handled effectively:

• It can manage all basic fabric handling and transfer operations;
• It can perform “pick and place” operations on the shop floor;
• It can execute direct sewing tasks with minimal distortion.

Patterns from most common pattern design formats can be transferred directly into the robot’s memory. Specific details can be fine-tuned using CAD software for sewing.

“Sewbots” are Already Appearing Around the World

Adidas recently unveiled an innovative footwear production plant – called a “speedfactory” – in its home country of Germany. After a successful pilot program, the concept is expected to reach the United States in 2017.

Both plants are expected to reach a mature production level of 500,000 pairs of shoes annually.

This will help improve supply chain issues that have traditionally plagued the industry. In the case of footwear, consumers receive products many months after a retailer has placed an order. That can result in reduced sales, quality, and customer experience.

Garment companies have much to gain by implementing innovative robotic technology. Still, they are not the only ones positioned to experience accelerated growth. Suppliers of robotic textile equipment stand to achieve unprecedented industry partnerships – and profit.

At the 2016 Texprocess America conference, vendors demonstrated new automation capabilities touching on dozens of sewn products. Today’s technology allows for automated fabrication of virtually any textile product, and it will only get better from here.

Within a few years, robotic technology could be a dominant force in the textile industry.

1) Robots Efficiently Manage Logistics at the Grocery Warehouse

Robots have already proven excellent at managing common tasks in logistics hubs. With sophisticated servo mechanisms, they can safely palletize, de-palletize, transport, and inspect goods. Until recently, however, their capabilities have remained somewhat limited – they require a controlled environment and work best with objects of a definite weight, shape, and size.

Through faster wireless networking and other innovations, however, things are changing quickly.

The British online supermarket Ocado is introducing 1,000 grocery-sorting robots to its warehouse operations. According to Cambridge Consultants, the group that developed the system, it uses “the most densely packed mobile network in the world.”

The robots can sort through hundreds of thousands of crates, responding to real-time changes in inventory levels and demand, from their positions atop large crate stacks. To reduce errors and maximize productivity, the robots receive up to ten commands per second.

The system is live in Andover, Hampshire, with larger implementations in the works.

2) Robots Show Up Right in the Aisles of Your Local Supermarket

Robots are also performing inventory tracking iin today’s supermarkets. Big box stores already spend thousands of hours a year dealing with manual inventory management – typically, roaming associates use hand-held devices to verify stock levels. That may soon be a thing of the past.

New inventory management robots can scan 15,000 retail items in just an hour, making it possible to check up on the whole inventory of a typical grocery store multiple times a day if needed. The robots can recognize when supplies are low and find items that are shelved incorrectly.

Studies have shown that items out of stock cost retailers as much as $500 billion a year. With robots in charge of time-consuming inventory tasks, human workers can focus on customer service and other high-level issues that contribute to a better experience.

The basic technologies for modern “grocer-bots” are already in place. With enthusiasm for robots higher than ever, 2017 could be the year they become a widespread reality.